Baked Acorn Squash Koftas in a Tomato Garlic Cream Sauce

Koftas rank high in my list of loved foods...be it Malai Kofta, Veggie Kofta, Doodhi Kofta, Hara Chana Kofta etc....these melt in the mouth delights please each and every time. This time, I went a different route and made koftas with acorn squash, potatoes and peas. I also baked them..a healthy alternative to deep frying them.
Acorn squash is fairly new to me...but I have seen so many recipes made with squash by fellow blogger buddies, I couldn't help but put it on my grocery list for the next time. Oh, and look what info. I found on Koftas....

Here is my easy recipe:

• 1 cup- Acorn Squash- grated
• 1 cup-cooked, mashed potatoes
• 1 cup- peas,thawed,- you can use a lesser amount, if you prefer
• 1 large jalapeno, 1 small piece ginger- chopped,2 cloves garlic- chopped,
  
• A handful of coriander leaves-chopped finely, 1 small red onion-chopped finely
  
• salt, pinch of sugar, lemon juice and a pinch of garam masala(see recipe to make GM below) to taste.

Mix all the above ingredients together and form small Koftas. Set Aside. These can be baked in the oven. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil, spray with non fat cooking spray, and bake them at 350F until browned and crisp.

Meanwhile, to make the gravy, blend:

• 1 large red onion, 5-7 large juicy tomatoes, 1 large piece of ginger, 5 cloves garlic, 1 large jalapeno,and make a paste. Set aside. you can lessen the amount of garlic if you would like.

In addition, you will need:

• 1 can - low fat evaporated milk, 1tbsp- Olive oil,

• 1 tbsp- Garam Masala - I make my own for such special dishes: roast equal amounts of cloves, peppercorns, badi elaichi, cinnamon, cumin and coriander seeds.Add a pinch of Nutmeg towards the end. Grind finely and store for later use.
• A handful coriander leaves, salt, turmeric powder,and a pinch of sugar to balance the tartness of the tomatoes, Jeera seeds.
• 2 cloves-shredded garlic,
  
• 2 tbsp-Paprika for a nice taste and color, much healthier than artificial food colors.
  

In a deep saucepan, heat some oil, add jeera till it sizzles. Add the paste made from the onions, tomatoes, garlic, ginger and jalapeno. Cook for around 10 minutes on medium heat. Add the evaporated milk and the spices. Check for seasonings and add the shredded garlic towards the end for maximum flavor.

To serve, place the koftas in the bowl and pour the sauce on top.Serve hot with some parathas.

I changed the way I normally make parathas this time. I mixed half all purpose flour with half of wheat flour and added some yeast to it. I let the dough rise for a few hours and then made the parathas the usual way. This way, the parathas turned out very soft and tasted just right with these koftas. I also made "Matar Paneer" with this to make a complete meal.

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